How to Make Faux Wood Countertops with Paint!

Let me show you how I made this pieced together pile of plywood look like a beautiful, stained piece of wood! If you are looking for a way to add in faux wood countertops, but don’t have the budget for the real thing, this is a great alternative!

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Supplies

• Paint Brush or Roller
• Deck Brush
• Corn Whisk Broom (optional)
• Primer
• Tan Paint
• Rustoleum Java Glaze 
• Polyacrylic 
• Paint Sprayer (optional)

Steps:

Start with smooth surface

I started with sanded down plywood for my base. Because my countertops were 12 feet long, I had to combine 2 sheets. I added Bondo between the boards and sanded it all down. This will make the board look like one long piece once it’s painted.

Add a coat of primer

Add your first coat of primer, this prepares your wood for the paint and prevents the tannins in the wood from seeping through. This is also a great way to see if any other spots need filled and sanded down. Now is the time to fix them!

Paint a layer of tan paint

I used a tan paint I had leftover (Westwood 414-2DB is available at Menards from Dutch Boy Paint) to give a tan base. Any tan will work, but I do love this color. It’s a great neutral to keep on hand.

Add in glaze

The glaze will give you that “faux wood grain.” It does dry fast, so you can spray your surface down with a light coat of water to give yourself more working time. I would highly recommend doing this on such a large surface. Glob on the glaze and then in on smooth even stroke, you will use the deck brush to create that “grain.” 

Add in additional grain (optional)

I didn’t do this on these faux wood countertops, but it can help make that grain look more real. A corn broom whisk after the deck brush will thin out that grain even more. I will be trying this the next time, but I loved my countertops as is and decided not to mess with it more.

Apply Polyacrylic Topcoat

Using my HomeRight Paint Sprayer, I applied my polyacrylic topcoat. I applied 3 coats total but don’t make my mistake. You need a minimum of 5 coats! Yes 5! Trust me, add in the extra coats. Lightly sand with a 400 grit in-between poly coats to ensure a smooth finish.

Now it’s time to stand back and admire your beautiful “wood” countertops! 

If you’d like to see this process in a video, check out this reel over on my Instagram here!